


Songfics

by AAM_writes



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Heartbreak, Holiday affair, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Mutual Pining, Self-Harm, Songfic, i don’t know how to tag
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-04
Updated: 2020-06-24
Packaged: 2021-02-01 01:09:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 16,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21307427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AAM_writes/pseuds/AAM_writes
Summary: I started this songfic challenge as a way to exercise my writing and it seems sometimes I do good. So I decided to leave it here.
Relationships: Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones
Comments: 29
Kudos: 31





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. A fic based on a song you like with a colour in the title
> 
> Song: Lana Del Rey - Black beauty

First he kissed Toni. Then there was a kiss with Veronica in the hot tub and all Betty’s insecurities started sneaking into her mind.

Maybe that was the reason of their recent breakup after all? Even if they got back together, maybe that was the type of women he liked the most? Spanish, dark, strong and proud. And Betty with all her pastels and wavy blonde locks wasn’t even near that picture.

She started with small details. Black nailpolish. It stood out in her image and Betty was itching to remove it, but decided to stick to her plan.

Next pink corduroy skirt was replaced with black leather. She was getting more glances in school hallways and Jughead was tensing and glaring every time someone’s eyes lingered on her legs a bit too long.

Well... that was something.

She got even more reaction from painting her lips red. They were sitting at Pop’s with Archie and Veronica, drinking milkshakes as usual, her lips wrapped around a straw, sipping her vanilla milkshake, when he leaned in, his lips practically touching her ear, and wispered that he couldn’t wait till they were alone to see how her lips would look like wrapped around him with this lipstick.

She glanced at him and noticed that his cheeks were tinged with pink from his own dirty words. That was new, their relationship passionate, but usually sweet. She couldn’t help but clench her thighs and almost moaned from sinful images that appeared behind her eyelids.

The final step included a black wig. She contemplated dying her hair a darker shade, but decided against it. After all Jughead loved to refer to his girlfriend as Hitchcock blonde. And when she appeared before him in the wig, black lingerie and red lips, seductive and confident, he was speechless.

That was a good night, spent tangled in sheets, whispering dirty words and praise, trading dominance and culminated in mindblowing orgasms.

After it, lying in bed and caressing each other, Jughead made her insecurities go away.

“Well... I definitely like everything happening here tonight, but what’s with the wig?” Jughead said, caressing her bare thigh, that was thrown across his torso.

“Um... I... I thought you might like brunettes more?” Betty answered biting her lips.

“Why would you think that?” He almost laughed

“When we were broken up you and Tony.... and then you didn’t refuse kissing Veronica, so I thought maybe...” 

“You thought wrong. Betts, I love you and only you” he propped himself on his elbows and she sat clutching a blanket to her chest.

“Yeah, but tonight was different from our experience when I’m... well, when I’m just me” she whispered the last part.

“And tonight everything happened because it was you. Because you behaved differently. And I would like to continue exploring that part you and me, but without that wig... what do you think?” He lifted her chin with his finger so she would look at him and she saw pure love and adoration in his eyes.

“Yeah... yeah, I’d like that too”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A fic based on a song you like with a number in the title.  
Song: Lana Del Rey - 24

They are lying in bed, she is tracing patterns on his chest and he is dragging his long fingers through her blonde waves.

“Do you really have to go tonight?”

“Yeah... gotta close the bar myself”

He is lying. She knows it. Sweet Pea or Toni can close the bar themselves and he would probably deal with gang business.

Sometimes she questions herself how did she get into this situation? Pretty little Betty Cooper, a picture perfect northsider, whose parents wrote numerous articles about southside, laying in bed with the most fearful southsider, gang leader Jughead Jones.

She blames Cheryl, who dragged her to the bar, trying to catch the eye of pink-haired bartender (and succeeded by the way). Cheryl also being herself declared that Betty could not accompany her to the southside bar wearing a sweater and put her into a tight red dress, showing off her cleavage and legs.

She felt embarrassed under all the attention she got at the bar that night. All the stares made her squirm uncontrollably, all but one. A pair of blue eyes staring holes in her body for some reason made her all hot and bothered. 

After probably too many drinks she consumed trying to suffocate inappropriate feelings in her gut, she found herself in the office of the bar’s owner (the one with blue eyes), bent over the desk, red dress hunched around her waist, panties around her ankles and asking Jughead to fuck her harder.

She knows he is lying. His knuckles probably will be painted with blood from punching the shit out of some poor creature. She should be disgusted and afraid, but as they say If you lie down with dogs, then you'll get fleas. And she wishes there were more hours in a day just so they could be together a little longer.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a song that reminds you of summer  
Avicii - wake me up

School is over. The nightmare that her life’s been the last three years is finally over and it feels like she’s woken up from a bad dream. Somebody’s woken her up.

She looks to her left and her lips stretch in smile.  
He is driving them out of the hell hole that is their home town to their new life. A sigle lock of midnight hair escaped his beanie and falls over his stormy blue eyes. He is humming lowly to the song playing from the radio and she is so unbelievably happy.

They don’t have lots of money, just her mother’s old car, some personal bearings and a rented shoebox apartment in Brooklyn. But they have each other. With him she is complete, she knows her place and destination in life. And before him, she didn’t even know she was lost. 

It felt like she carried the weight of the world on her shoulders, that she was a part of some sick game. But she finally feels light and carefree, free from obligations and expectations. And she won her game, and love was her prize.

He turns his head a gives a little soft smile. Eyes full of love and his face free from scowl. He is free too. Free from the weight of responsibilities of the gang leader, free from fear for lives of people he loves. 

They are so young and they have their whole lives before them. They will go to college, explore New York, spend evenings reading and eating takeout food and maybe travelling. Yeah... travelling the world is definitely on the list.

She feels warm and happy. She smiles back a him, mouths “I love you” and turns her head to the window.  
Betty watches the road leading to her new life, her eyelids heavy, soft melody of the radio lulling her to sleep, and asks Jughead “wake me up when it’s all over”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Find me on tumblr as aam-loves  
Hope you enjoyed it


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a song that reminds you of someone you'd rather forget  
Akcent - Stay with me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come talk to me on tumblr aam-loves

He hasn’t left the trailer for almost a month. If it wasn’t for Toni and Archie, who occasionally brought him something to eat, he would probably be dead by now.

He would be glad to say that he was hit with inspiration and he was writing his novel all that time, but in reality he hasn’t touched a keyboard or typewriter all this time.

He hasn’t been drinking, he’s seen enough of his father to never even want to touch a bottle. He was caged in his own prison of memories.

He pressed her to that counter and kissed her neck, they had breakfast at that table, cuddled on the bed and made love for the first time on that couch. He remembered her calling his name, sound of her voice and her beautiful face in tears haunted his dreams every time he closed his eyes.

But he let her go, pushed her away.

It’s all to keep her safe, she’ll be better without me, she’ll go places....

He kept persuading himself and tried to hide his pain. 

But who was he kidding, everyone saw him drowning in his tears wishing she came and saved him.

Maybe he was going crazy after a month of isolation. The pain of her absence became unbearable.

Maybe a breath of cold fresh air will make me better...

In his hazy state of pain and self-deprivation he didn’t understand or noticed how he wondered to her house and knocked to the door.

All he realized is that he was on his knees, hugging her thighs and mumbling incoherent mess of apologies and declarations of love

“Baby, I was so crazy all the time I made you cry.... I guess I lost you now, you are gone and I’m just miserable mess. I don’t deserve you... but I love you so much.... Betty... “

He didn’t hope she would take him back after all the pain he caused her. He knew he shouldn’t be here, she’d be better without him on her life.

“Juggie...” came her soft voice, her hands circling his shoulders “come inside, you are freezing”.

“No.. no, I shouldn’t have come...”

“Juggie, please, stay” he felt her kiss the side of his head “stay with me”

He turned his head and she connected their lips.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a song that needs to be played loudly  
yeah yeah yeahs - heads will roll

_Off with your head _

_Dance 'til you're dead_

The music is loud. Pounding in his ears. How can people even communicate in such noise?

_Heads will roll _

_Heads will roll _

_Heads will roll _

_On the floor_

Oh yeah, my head will definitely fall off and roll on the floor if I don’t leave this place this exact minute

He is moving through the crowd, trying to find Archie and explain him (maybe with sign language?) that he is going to leave. How did he even agree to come to the music festival? Not exactly his scene.

With this thought he lifts his head and stops breathing for a moment. She is a vision. So beautiful. Golden waves moving with her body to the music beat. There is some glitter on her face and shoulders. She looks like a goddess and he can’t tear his eyes off her.

_Off, off with your head _

_Dance, dance 'til you're dead_

He probably stands out like a sore thumb, standing and staring in the dancing crowd.

_Heads will roll _

_Heads will roll _

_Heads will roll_

His head is not rolling yet, but it is definitely spinning now. What should he do? He wants to leave yeah, but it would be almost illegal not to come up to her. But again, it’s not exactly his thing just to come up and start talking to a random, yet beautiful girl. So, he is just standing in the same spot, totally confused, when he feels something wet on his face.

He lift his head to the sky and feels rain dripping to his skin. “the fun is over” he thinks But she just closes her eyes, throws her head back and smiles. Damn... what a beautiful smile she has...

And then she turns her head, opens her eyes and his gaze is locked with two marvelous forest green pools. 

His body is working itself, without consulting to his head (because he definitely wouldn’t have had courage for it), when he lifts his hand and waves. She gives him a broad smile, which can light up not only a room, but the whole world, in return.

**********

He is in the club. It’s all Archie’s doing again and he totally couldn’t refuse going, as it is Archie’s bachelor party. But he would really prefer an evening of pizza, beer and video games instead of loud music and sweaty people grinding against each other. He is moping near the bar, nursing his drink when he hears the familiar melody

_Off off off with your head _

_Dance dance 'til you're dead_

He smiles into his glass and thinks how he would return home to his beautiful girlfriend. The blonde goddess that he met at the music festival escaping from that same song.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a song that makes you want to dance  
DNCE - cake by the ocean

Jughead is finally feeling free and light as a feather. The school is over. He managed to get into NYU even studying in Southside high and can’t wait to leave behind the town with pep. Even a dorm room would be better than his old trailer, no one in the big city will know him like here. Besides, Toni and Fangs are moving to New York too, he will have his people near enough when tough times are gonna happen.

He is genuinely happy and doesn’t remember the last time he had this feeling.

They are celebrating around a bonfire on the bank of Sweetwater river. He decided no to indulge in red solo cups to remember this evening clearly, but he feels confident because he is surrounded by people he’s known his whole life.

He sees Archie, his only friend from the North side of the town, has finally arrived accompanied by two girls. 

“Hey, man!” the redhead greets Jughead giving him some sort of a bro hug “I hope you don’t mind I brought the girls”

“Of course not!” Toni interjects “the more the merrier”

“This is my girlfriend, Veronica” Archie introduces the short beautiful Latina girl in expensive looking outfit, but with kind eyes and a warm smile.

“You can call me V, guys”

“And here is Betty, I think you’ve met her before” Archie points to the blonde girl with a ponytail, that looks slightly uncomfortable.

Of course he knows the blonde is Betty Cooper, the drama of her sister’s involvement with the heir of Blossom empire was the theme of towns gossips for the entire sophomore year.

“Uh, hey” she gives a little wave and tight-lipped smile.

Archie grabs Veronica’s hand, a red solo cup and goes mingling with people.

Betty is left to stand alone, kicking sand with her toes.  
She is perfectly put together, even uncomfortably so, like people shouldn’t be so perfect. It’s always put him on edge around her. She always keeps quiet and polite, the perfect girl next door.

But today.... today he doesn’t know if it’s the light from the bonfire, but she looks mesmerizing.

“Hey, Betty, why so serious?” he suddenly asks.

“Huh?” she shifts her big doe eyes to him.

“School is over, we can leave this god forsaken town, you are leaving, right?”

“Yeah, I got in NYU” she smiles a little

“Me too!”

“Really?” it seems like he can see excitement in her eyes.

“Yeah, so live a little before school starts. Do you want beer?”

“Oh... no, I... I’m a designated driver” she looks bashfully to the ground

“Yeah, I’m not drinking either” he smiles “cupcake?”

“What?” her eyes shot to his confused

“You want a cupcake?”

“Do you have cupcakes here?” she lifts her brows obviously amused

“I know it’s not what you expect from a southside party, but Sweet Pea here is going to culinary school and he wants to open his own bakery one day, so he practices a lot... so... you want one!”

“Yeah, sure” she starts moving to the tables and he can’t tear his eyes when she walks in proper lightning. She moves gracefully, these long legs do things for him, he could see a hint of cleavage in the low cut of her tank top, her round ass in this tiny shorts is just... wait is she swaying her hips a little bit more now?

She is a masterpiece.

They come up to the table where Sweet Pea is crowded by girls fascinated by the man, who can cook.

“Hey, Sweets, give us two of your best”

Sweet Pea turns to them and smiles knowingly “okay... so red velvet with vanilla for you blondie and pure chocolate for you, Jug” he says handing them two cupcakes.

“Wow... they are perfect” Betty whispers, studying the cupcake, which could as well be sold in New York’s fancy bakery.

“And you haven’t even tasted it yet” Sweet Pea smirks

She swipes the frosting with her finger and wraps her lips around him.

“Mmmmm.... the frosting is soooo good” she moans

“God damn” Jughead thinks observing the scene and feeling that his jeans probably became a little tighter.

They spend most of the night talking and eating cupcakes.

“You know, I’m so tired of being careful, I wanna start living dangerously” she confesses

“Wanna go skinny dipping?” he suddenly blurts

“What?!” he eyes go round and big as saucers

“You said it yourself, so let’s lose our minds and go fucking crazy”

“Here?” she ask hesitantly

“Nah, I’m not actually eager to show the goods to half of the Southside, but I know a secluded spot not far from here”

“Uh...” she is hesitating and he understands that she is a little afraid

“We’ll tell Archie and Veronica where we are going, he knows the spot” he tries to calm her

“Okay....” she finally surrenders blushing

Archie is surprised and a little confused with the information Jughead gives him, but Veronica gives him a knowing smirk and he starts blushing himself.

He takes Betty’s hand and walks her through the woods.

It’s when they are in water naked already, that she swims to him, placing her hands on his shoulders.   
He can’t breathe for a moment, they are staring in each other’s eyes and when her gaze shifts for a moment to his lips, he takes it as the right moment to connect their lips.

She gasps, but quickly sinks in the kiss. Her lips are soft and move against his so deliciously. He swipes his tongue hesitantly against her lower lip and she opens them deepening the kiss. She tastes like strawberries and vanilla frosting. She shifts and her breasts are pressed against his chest, he feels her pebbled nipples against his skin, she moans into his mouth and his minds go hazy.

It’s when they finally separated, breathless, he whispers “You are a real-life fantasy, Betts”.

She giggles sweetly and pecks his lips “Juggie, I’ve had a crush on you since middle school”.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 7 a song to drive to  
Halsey - castle

Northside May rot in hell with all its people. Betty Cooper has officially had enough . 

She is sick of all the people talking nicely to you and exchanging pleasantries, while pouring poisonous gossips behind your back. Sick of all the noise of her high school with its unspoken hierarchy with cheerleaders and football players on top. Sick of being poised by fake smiles and pretty lies. Sick of being used by her fake friends and parents. She nearly counts minutes passing until she can leave this place, but there are too much time left. She wants to break her walls and be free, have some power over her own life.

Her riot begins with trying to piss off her parents by dating a southsider. Jughead Jones was studying with her at Riverdale’s school some time ago, so he is her choice purely because they are fairly acquainted and he is not bad to look at. And this turns out to be her best decision. 

They first agreed on casually dating. She is conscious of being practically with a member of a gang and he seems not to trust anybody at all. He is sweet and shy when they are alone, smart, sarcastic and intimidating when there is someone around. She brings him home and asks to wear his leather jacket and ride a motorcycle. Her mother is pissed as expected and she is grounded. He climbs her window the next day and kisses her. His lips are soft, he tastes like coffee, mint and cigarettes, and his embrace is so warm that she misses his arms immediately when they fall from her body.

They spend more and more time together, she reads while he is writing his novel. They solve mysteries of their town together and at some point their kisses become more desperate and heated.

After one particularly nasty fight with her mother she shows up at his door late at night with tear stained face. He holds her through the night and in the morning, admiring her petite figure swallowed by his shirt, blonde hair messy from sleep, he wishes he woke up to this sight every morning and asks her to stay. His father is in jail, his mother is only God knows where and she is so tired from all the northside bullshit that she agrees immediately.

They pack her things while her parents are at work and she’s moved in the trailer by night. They make love for the first time that night in their bed.

Nobody gives them accusing or disapproving glances on southside. She gets to know people here and likes them very much. 

The Serpents is a separate talk. They were cold towards her in the beginning of her and Jughead’s relationship, but warmed up after she proved herself to de caring and loyal. The last thing to do to join was the serpent dance. Jughead wasn’t happy. He dragged her from the scene right after her performance and when they returned to the trailer he proceeded to make sure she knew her body belongs to him claiming her almost on every surface in the trailer. 

Tall Boy is convicted in cooperating with the rival gang and the Serpents choose Jughead their new king.

Betty watches him promising serpents to try hard to be the best leader with adoration in her eyes.

That night, caressing each other in their post coital glow he asks her to be his queen.

“Seriously, Jug? What will the guys say? I’m a northsider after all”

“You were a northsider, you are one of us now, they love you and wanna make you their queen. Now Tall Ball is gone and nobody can tell you to shut your pretty mouth unless they wanna deal with me”

She giggles and kisses him “okay...”

She walks proudly wearing her leather jacket into Riverdale high. She will make it her castle and Riverdale their kingdom.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a song about drugs or alcohol  
Madonna - Devil pray

The summer before college. Everyone is enjoying short freedom from school and anticipating going away. Everyone but Betty Cooper. She is locked up in the Sisters of quiet mercy, but her parents are probably telling everyone that she is spending summer in California. The nuns teach her how to pray and promise to cure her and rid from bad habits forced on her by “demons”. Oh, if only they knew....

Betty wasn’t an addict, she just needed escape sometimes and she definitely didn’t plan to get caught.  
It all started when Archie rejected her, Veronica jumped to his bed immediately as if they weren’t friends, Polly ran away and her parents continued faking a perfect marriage. She was on the verge of going crazy, all tense, her palms a mess of scarred skin and blood. Self harm didn’t bring relief anymore. So, when at one of the parties Reggie suggested some sort of light drug she didn’t think she had something to loose.

A short euphoria was all she needed. Like everything became just a white noise.

She sobered rather quickly, but that was enough to feel a little bit lighter.

And thus that began, she used something from time to time just to ease the edge and moved on. She didn’t do hard drugs and she doubted Reggie could get them. She was always careful, choosing time when her parents had big projects and stayed late at work or saying that she was sleeping over at Kevin’s. So it continued almost until graduation, but the nerves before exams took a tall on her and Reggie advised her some new thing. The stuff was stronger and almost knocked her out. Her parents found her laying on her bedroom floor staring at the ceiling with a goofy smile.

Of course they couldn’t let this incident affect the image of picture perfect family that they were trying to maintain (they even told everyone that Polly was studying abroad and not ran away, trying to save babies in her belly), so Betty stayed grounded until graduation under the watchful eye of Alice Cooper almost 24/7 and was sent to the facility for trouble youth right after that.

At this point Betty was almost thankful that her parents sent her here. All because of him. She met Jughead Jones on her second week at the SOQM. He was reading in the garden, locks of midnight hair falling over his eyes prompted him push them back with his long fingers.

“That’s a nice book” she said, observing a copy of Fahrenheit 451 in his hands.

He lifted his eyes and she was met with a pair of hypnotizing stormy blues “at least they have a library here”.

Jughead was sent here after indulging a little too much into alcohol. He said he was devastated after his mother took off with his little sister and his father went to jail. He turned to bottle and when he realized that he fell exactly into the footsteps of his father his foster parents had already arranged a course in SOQM for him.

They talked about books at first, he constantly complained that they took his beanie away and they created funny nicknames for nuns. Then they started talking about anything and everything, confining into each other. They became each other’s treatment. Betty didn’t need drugs anymore and Jughead didn’t need alcohol. They had each other.

With growing affection they craved physical contact which was strictly prohibited. So they had a plan.

They got released almost simultaneously. Betty has two more days until college to pack her stuff at home. She didn’t wait though.

The next morning after coming home, when her parents left for work she grabbed the most essential things, packed them into two bags and raced out of her house. 

Jughead was waiting in the truck. They were 18 and were already accepted to college. The didn’t need anyone anymore. They had each other and they would figure out everything when they reach the city. Together.

When she ran to the truck Jughead got out and she greeted him with a long anticipated kiss. She felt high on the feeling without drugs. He calmed all her anxieties.  
He took bags from her hands  
“Are you ready?”  
“Let’s do it”.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A song that makes you happy  
Antonia - Marabou

Betty walks in her headphones, listening to the song that’s been on repeat since her vacation. It just brought all the happy memories back to her.

So tonight I’ll dream about Marabou  
Female voice is singing in her headphones.

She chose a little coastal town in Spain, Marabou, for her vacation for a quiet rest. She needed to relax after two years of hard work without a break. She always had a soft spot for European resorts, but decided to avoid popular places this time.

And this was just how she had imagined. Reading on the beach, walking along the coast burying her feet in waves, dinner in outdoor restaurants with a glass of vine. What she didn’t expect though is that she wouldn’t be doing all of this alone.

She met Jughead on her very first day there, he was drinking coffee at the table next to hers. Their eyes met by accident and she smiled. He was very handsome, tall, lean, but toned in all the right places, olive skin with a bit of adorable moles and freckles dotted over his face, defined jaw, gorgeous curly black locks falling over his blue eyes and plumb alluring lips. As it turned out later he also was intelligent, smart funny and all over a charming person. She liked even his sarcastic comments and jokes. Despite his moody exterior he was always sweet and attentive with her.

Their holiday romance was a perfect mixture of soft and passionate.

Long walks along the beach, talking about anything and everything, romantic dinners and nights tangled in sheets. 

She knew he was from USA as well, but from a different end of the country, so they decided there was no sense in trying to prolong the vacation in real life. Neither of them saw long distance as an opportunity for a relationship based on two weeks long affair, so they agreed not to exchange any personal information besides first names (nickname in his case).

Well, that’s what she thought then. As time went by she couldn’t held but remembered him and thought that she might never meet such person again.

She didn’t cry when they said their goodbyes, at least not until she was out of his view. 

But upon her arrival at home to California she was greeted by very good news. New York Times offered her a job, that’s what she wanted, what she dreamed of as a teenager. She took the job. They gave her a month to finish projects at her current work, pack things and move to the other coast. In the whirlwind of news and busy with all the things she had to accomplish she hardly had time to dwell on the memories of her vacation.

She moved to New York three weeks ago. It is early autumn and September still pleases with warm weather. But the evenings are a little chilly now, as if reminding of upcoming autumn. The weather is still good for exploring the city. She likes her neighborhood. It’s nice, silent and everything and everyone looks friendly. There is a nice coffee shop on the corner of the street and a cute bakery just across her apartment complex. A park not far way. She noticed a diner two blocks away and was making an evening trip there, craving to get a burger with fries for take out and devour them later at home watching Netflix.

The diner seems nice, it has some retro vibe and looks rather clean. She walks into diner under neon lights, hears the bell chime over her head and then her heart skips a beat. A crown beanie she saw only one person wearing sits atop of a head of curly black hair.

As if feeling her gaze he turns his head and his eyes go wide.

“Am I dreaming or is it really you?” he asks in shock.

“It’s me” she smiles softly.

And then he is oh his feet, her face between his palms and his lips on hers.

He sighs when they part and then startles.

“What are you doing here?”

“I got a job in New York Times, moved here three weeks ago, my apartment is two blocks away...”

“Jesus... you are here” he is still holding her face in his hands.

“Yeah” she smiles again.

“So, do you... are you... are you hungry?”

“I was actually gonna buy a dinner”

“Maybe you wanna join me?”

“I thought about takeout....”

“Oh... okay...” his hand fall and he takes a step back.

“But you can join me? In my apartment?.... if you want?”

His faces lights up again “yeah... yeah, I’d like that”.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a song that makes you sad  
Ben Cocks - so cold

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one will have a couple of songfics connected to it. I’ll mark it when I post it.

Betty is sitting at her dining room, twirling her wedding rings on the table. There is no use in them anymore. She is no longer married, no longer Mattews. She is Betty Cooper again. Alone in a big, cold, empty house, that no longer feels like home.

She may still be heartbroken, but she doesn’t feel pain anymore, she is just numb. When Daniel first told her he wanted a divorce she was confused, than, when she begged him to change his mind, promised to do anything, he just needed to tell her what she was doing wrong, and he told her he loved someone else, she was devastated. He left with a bag that evening and promised to take everything that was left later. When the door behind him closed she crushed to the floor in tears, that was a place she woke up the next morning.

Now, the divorce process is finally complete. He left her the house. And she feels miserable. The house is a constant reminder of her non existent happy family.

Riverdale is a small town and she is so tired of people watching her with pity in their eyes. And every time she comes to work her mother can’t hide her disappointment.

Above all of this her confidence is gone with her marriage. She gained weight, her skin looks dull and she can’t help but question if that was her appearance or if she was so terrible in bed that her husband left her for another woman. 

One particular evening after a pint of ice cream and a bottle of wine she decides that she’s had enough. She sells the house and quits the job at family’s newspaper for her mother’s horror.

Her new life begins at a small, but nice apartment in New York, morning runs and a new job at publishing house. 

But the city kills her confidence at all. She feels insecure and always doubts herself. Her new boss probably thinks that she is just pathetic and this is the last thing she wants with him being a complete asshole already.

* * *

Her head is pounding, eyelids heavy, but she finally brings herself to open them and groans registering that she is naked and not in her bed. 

“Just great....” she thinks dragging her palm across her face. It seems like yesterday she left the bar where they went with her coworkers with someone. 

She hears the door creaking open, turns her head to look if her one-night stand was at least decent and jolts upward seeing her boss entering the bedroom. 

She immediately regrets sitting up, puts her head in her hands and peaks at him through her fingers. He is wearing only sweats, his torso is toned and her eyes follow a trail of dark hairs leading from the navel down, her eyes shot to his face and she sees him smirking. It’s unusual to see him without a suit and a scowl. 

“Here, I brought you something, drink it” he holds a glass for her.

“What is it?” the liquid looks suspiciously.

“It’s my special brew for hungover, drink it, you’ll immediately feel better”.

And she does.

She tugs at blanket covering her chest.

“Did... did we have sex?” her cheeks redden in embarrassment.

He chuckles “I’d like to think that you’d remember us having sex, so no we didn’t”

She exhales with relief and then asked confused “But why am I naked?”

“Oh.... you wanted to, gave me a great show of how quickly you can undress” he answers still smirking.

“Oh Jesus....” she is as red as a tomato by now, of course he didn’t want her, he has an array of pretty girls waiting in line if he’d like to sleep with someone from their office.

“I just didn’t want to take advantage of your state, but maybe...”

“Wait...did you actually want to sleep with me?”

He frowns, confused “why wouldn’t I? You are gorgeous, Betty, men in our office were almost fighting yesterday for the right to buy you a drink, probably that was the reason you got more than just a little tipsy”

“Oh....”

“But I’d like to take you out for dinner first.... that is of you still want to...?”

She blushes and smiles.

* * *

They finally sleep together after the third date and he can’t stop telling her how beautiful she is.

* * *

She is twirling a wedding band on her finger with her thumb. Right hand resting on her baby bump. 

“Mrs. Jones” the nurse calls her name.

Jughead squeezes her hand and they walk to the ultrasound to find out the gender of their baby.

In Riverdale Alice Cooper bumps into Daniel Mattews in a grocery store and thanks him for leaving her daughter and giving her an opportunity to find true love and happiness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can find me on tumblr as aam-loves  
I also like making graphics for fics☺️


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a song you never get tired of  
Song: Leona Lewis - Keep bleeding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is related to the previous one, so read the fic for day 10 first😘

They’ve been dating for about six months already. Since the morning she woke up in Jughead’s bed and they went to dinner that evening.

She’s been cautious at first, but she couldn’t help what was happening. She was happy with him. Truly genuinely happy.

She never felt that way with her ex and their whole marriage seems like wasted time to her now.

They are in Riverdale now. Betty brought Jughead to meet her family and spend Christmas with them.

Her anxiety was kicking her hard, but to her surprise her usually cold and demanding mother was warm and accepting towards Jughead. She refrained from her interrogation mode and engaged into a polite conversation with Jughead during their first dinner there. When Betty was helping to clean the table her mother leaned close and murmured “nice job, honey” into her ear. Betty was pleasantly surprised and unbelievably happy. But as it usually happens in her life, it just couldn’t stay that way.

They were doing some late Christmas shopping at the town’s fair and she wandered from Jughead when some cute mittens she thought would be great for her niece and nephew caught her eye. It happened when she was coming back, she saw Jughead standing with his back to him, talking to someone and heard male voice saying:

“Well, Betty is nice to look at without a doubt, but she is crazy, man, you don’t wanna burden yourself with it”.

Her heart sank down and her blood froze, she turned and run.

The next thing she remembered is that she was sitting on the edge of Sweetwater river, tears running down her cheeks, clenching her fists wishing pain brought her relief. She was wondering what Jughead has found in her earlier, of course he wouldn’t want to do anything with her now, when he knew she was crazy. She would probably not find his things in her childhood bedroom when she returns home. That is if she won’t freeze to death here.

That was also the state in which Jughead found her on the said spot.

He sat on the rock beside her.

“You mother told me you’d probably be here.”

She just sniffled and wiped her face with still clenched fist.

“Betty what….?” he took her hand and saw smudges of blood.

“Baby…” he pried open her palms and lifted his concerned gaze to meet her eyes.

“What are you doing here, Jug?”

“Well I was looking for you, obviously. Why did you run away?”

“You were talking to Reggie and he said…” she trailed off and her eyes watered again.

“That guy is a jerk and doesn’t know shit about you, Betty” he said taking her face into his hands.

“It’s not just him, people here think I’m crazy… sometimes I think that myself, just look at my hands….” she sniffed again.

“No, Betty, they don’t know the truth and…. anyway, I don’t care what they say, I know you, I’m in love with you” he took her hands in his and kissed her palms gently.

Her eyes went round from shock.

“You….” she couldn’t believe her ears.

“Let’s stand up” he tugged her upwards “you jeans are damp from snow already, you’ll freeze.”

She stood as of hypnotized.

“You love me?” she still couldn’t believe.

“Yeah” he smiled softly rubbing a thumb against her cheek.

That finally brought a smile to her face.

“I love you too”.

They grinned at each other happily.

The snow started falling as they stood there, kissing. That was gonna be the best Christmas.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a song from your preteen years  
Song: My chemical romance - teenagers

Riverdale held its breath. The unheard was about to happen. Riverdale and Southside high schools were uniting into one.

The parents of Northside children were terrified. They raised their children according to certain standards, putting tales of ruthless southsiders into their heads. Preppy Northsiders, prude and confident in their superiority, raised to despise southside thugs and be afraid of the Serpents, behaved like some cliches from cheap teenage movies with all their Bulldogs, cheerleaders and school hierarchy.

On Monday former students of Southside high walked through the doors of Riverdale’s high school lead by their leader, Jughead Jones. They were not so warmly welcomed by Cheryl Blossom and Reggie Mantle. And the tension could be cut with a knife.

The tension had only been building through the week as southside boys started score points in sports and all in all the students from the wrong side of the tracks happened to be able to stick to northsiders in academical studies too.

Second week was no better. Scantily clad southside girls turned out to be not so open to physical contact as northside boys would have thought and southside boys turned out to be highly possessive and protective. By the end of the week the whole school was practically boiling with rage.

It was all about to snap on the third Monday. Someone choked on their drinks, others jaws was hanging open, some people gasped, but everyone was silent when Jughead Jones and Betty Cooper entered the school holding hands. The leader of Southside Serpents clad in black leather jacket with a snake on its back and the perfect girl next door with a ponytail in a pink collared sweater.

People couldn’t believe their eyes seeing the odd couple. They all followed Jughead and Betty with their eyes as he walked her to her locker and gave her a sweet kiss on the lips.

Everything changed in the minds of Riverdale teenagers when they saw Jughead’s face without his signature scowl looking softly and lovingly at his girlfriend and Betty looking finally relaxed and free.

It’s three months from this day now. Two tables are pushed together in the cafeteria to fit all the people lively chatting during their lunch break. Here is Jughead Jones with his hand on Betty Cooper’s thigh, their relationship going strong, he is talking to Archie Andrews, his childhood best friend and captain of football team, about some video games, while Archie’s girlfriend Veronica Lodge discusses new routines for cheerleaders with Cheryl Blossom, who came out as a lesbian and is now holding her girlfriend’s , Toni Topaz, hand. Toni shows her new tattoo to her best friend Fangs who is dating sheriff’s son and Betty’s best friend Kevin Keller, and Kevin’s step sister, Josie McCoy, works on the lyrics of her new song while Sweet Pea keeps his arm around her shoulders.

Teenagers of Riverdale broke the fragile balance, that reminded more of a silent cold war, kept between the sides of the town and turned it to peace.

The adults saw their children open their minds to new opportunities, accepting other points of view, agreeing with them or taking them into consideration, but not rejecting. And it scared the shit out of them.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a song you like from the 70’s  
Song: Al Green - let’s stay together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That would be a sequel for my Halloween story “Save us on Halloween”, so I’d recommend to read it first.

Jughead knew he wanted to marry Betty even before they started dating. She is everything he could dream of and even more. They came clean to their children two weeks after that life changing Halloween night because it was really hard to hide growing affections and Rosie and Ethan seemed really happy.

Then they spent Christmas together, Betty was only happy to escape her family’s traditional activities with perfectly decorated house, proper etiquette, fake smiles and social talks. Instead they set a tree in Betty’s apartment, decorated it with ornaments their children made at school and watched TV in Christmas themed pajamas. The only thing they didn’t skip was Christmas dinner, but it was joyful and filled with laughter and best Christmas memories.

At the last day of school year Rosie and Ethan called their parents for “a serious talk”. Betty and Jughead sat with amused faces as they listened to their children saying that they had been tired from constant sleepovers, their things were divided between two apartments and all in all they wanted to live together in a house.

Thus, in three weeks after the talk they moved into a three-bedroom house. It was on the borderline between north and south sides and needed a whole lot of renovations, but they felt that it would become their home. And so it did, with Betty’s creative nature and skillful hands and Jughead’s inability to refuse her anything he found himself doing actual work around the house. Thanks to Betty’s kind and friendly nature they soon established good relationships with their neighbors and even held barbecue parties in their back yard.

They all decorated their house for Halloween that year, their favorite holiday. And a week later Betty and Rosie brought home a little ball of red fur and coaxed Ethan to join them and plead Jughead to let them keep the stray cat. Caramel lived happily in their house for almost a year, when Jughead and Ethan couldn’t pass a sheepdog puppy while walking through the park next summer. They were eating hot dogs and waiting for Rosie and Betty to return from visiting her parents when they passed by a box which kept little dogs for adoption. Betty, inspite of their fears, laughed and petted the little dog when she and Rosie returned home. Jughead named him Hot Dog and hadn’t left room for argument.

It was that summer, when Rosie came up to him

“Daddy, children at school say I shouldn’t call you my dad and Ethan my brother, because we don’t even have the same last name”.

Jughead choked on a glass of water he was drinking. He crouched before the little girl.

“Honey, does it upset you?”

“A little… can we take your last name?”

“Ugh… I… it’s not that easy, Rosie, me and mommy should marry for her to take my last name”

“So marry her” Rosie chirped happily.

Jughead sat dumbfounded. Really, why this didn’t occur to him. He started planning (read obsessing with) proposal after that day.

He decided Halloween would be the perfect day to ask, as it was their favorite holiday and the day that gave start to their relationship.

His first book was going to be published in September. Since he and Betty started dating he was more inspired and finished the manuscript rather quickly compared to almost 10 years he had been working on the book. So, with book being published be had enough money to by a ring and arrange a wedding.

He first thought to propose in book’s dedication, but that didn’t seem enough.

He took Rosie to buy a ring, she was over the moon, boiling with excitement, but managed to keep the secret till the day X.

They chose a ring classic as Betty’s beauty. A gold band with princess-cut diamond.

The children helped him with the plan. They were dressing up as Anna and Christof from Frozen and convinced Betty and Jughead to go trick or treating around the neighborhood with them. Betty and Jughead were to dress as Cinderella and her Prince. They found a wedding free in a thrift store, dyed it blue and sprinkled with glitter and Betty and Rosie transformed her old pair of pumps with a pack of crystals and glue.

On the Halloween day, when Betty emerged from her room in Cinderella costume, she looked like a true Princess. Jughead sat on one knee to help her put a shoe and as Betty was fixing the skirts of her dress he raised his head with a small box in his hands.

Betty’s eyes went round and she brought her hands to her mouth as he opened the box.

“Our fairytale is only beginning, but maybe you want to have a happily ever after with me?” he smiled.

“Jug….”

“Will you marry me, Betty?”

“Oh my god, yes!” Betty threw her arms around his neck as he raised from his knees.

Rosie and Ethan, who watched the whole scene, rushed to them for a big happy family embrace and cheered when Jughead put the ring on Betty’s finger.

She stood admiring her ring when he cleared his throat.

“I have one more question though” he said nervously.

“I doubt anything can beat the previous one” she smirked

“Ugh… I.. I wanted to ask if you’d let me adopt Rosie after we get married”

At that Betty’s eyes welled with tears “Only if you let me adopt Ethan”.

They grinned at each other and kissed.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a song you’d love to be played at your wedding  
Song: John Legend - all of me

That was one awful Monday morning. He was transferring to Riverdale high today. It’s not that he loved Southside school, but at least he was used to it, and here he would have to get used to jocks picking on him all over again. Of course, there were no jocks in Southside high, instead there were two gangs. Members of one picked on him because he was a descendant of a rival gang, the others picked on him because he refused join their gang inspite of being promised a high rank position, support and protection. Well, thanks, but no. Jughead considered it being similar to selling his soul to the Devil. All he wanted was to leave the town and do the thing he liked - write. Serpents would never let him leave. Perhaps, transferring to Riverdale high was not bad in this respect. Moreover, he saw that his father was really trying this time. He had been sober for almost three months already, got a job, covered debts and bills, he even called Gladys and arranged a trip to Toledo for upcoming weekend so they could meet with JB. He really appreciated the effort and if his father wanted him to transfer to the north side school in order to have more opportunities to leave for college, he could survive a bit of bullying. He hoped if he made this effort, everything wouldn’t vanish and his father would only go strong in his intentions to keep being sober, working and mending their family relationships.

He and FP even restored his second old bike and now Jughead was driving into Riverdale high’s parking lot. He walked into school keeping his head down and approached the secretary’s reception to fill all the needed papers.

“Well, I think that’s all we need, Betty Cooper will give you a tour around school and you should be all settled, Forsythe” the secretary chirped.

Jughead grimaced “Ugh… it’s Jughead actually, no one calls me by the legal name”

“Oh… well” the secretary blinked amused and her eyes shifted to look behind his shoulder “Here she is! Betty, dear!… Here, Mr. Jones, this is Betty Cooper”

Jughead turned around and was met with a vision of an angel. And when she met his eyes and smiled he thought he was half in love already. He would survive anything this school was gonna throw on him if he got to see that smile everyday.

Betty, being sweet and friendly person, quickly welcomed him into her group of friends and the more time he spend with her, the more he got to know her, the more she got his head spinning with awakening feelings. He was hopelessly in love with her by the end of the first month.

It’s no wonder that Betty quickly coerced him into joining the school newspaper and he treasured every minute he had to stay after classes to work on it because he got to have Betty’s undivided attention. Well, aside from articles for the Blue and Gold, they were the reason they stayed for hours in the dusty newspapers office, after all. He was mesmerized with her sharp eye, quick wit and beautiful mind. And when she eagerly engaged in the conversation about crime novels, serial killers and conspiracy theories he felt dizzy from overwhelming need to squeeze her cheeks and smash his lips against hers.

-

Something shifts one evening. He is finishing his shift at drive in, turning off the equipment and tidying up the space, when he spots a single car still parked in front of the screen. He supposes it’s a couple of horny teenagers, that hasn’t noticed that the movie ended while making out. As much as he doesn’t want to see someone sucking faces, he has to go and ask them to leave, so he could lock the gate. When he notices a familiar car his heart sinks down. It’s Betty’s car and for a couple of minutes he considers leaving the drive in open for the night, just to avoid witnessing his crush being mauled by someone else. But it’s not and option, so he takes a deep breath and approached the driver’s side window. He notices Betty sitting alone in her car, her head in her hands. Something is wrong. He rasps his knuckles against the window. Betty jumps and looked at him frightened, then her gaze softs recognizing him. She opens the door sniffling and wiping her cheeks with her palms.

“Jug… what are you doing here?”

“Hi… I… I’m working in the projection booth over there” he is silent for a minute, she is not looking at him, keeping her eyes on the ground so he couldn’t see her face “Betts, what’s wrong?”

It seems she smiles hearing her nickname. It slipped about a week ago and she didn’t mind, so he keeps calling her that.

“I had fight with my mom…. well if you even can call it a fight, she just yelled at me for being a disappointment and I stood there and then left…” she mumbles picking at her nails.

Jughead just stands there dumbfounded, how can anyone be disappointed in Betty, he doesn’t believe she’s done a one thing wrong in her life, she is an angel, and yell at her?

“Jesus…” he whispers

“And I don’t know why am I telling you this, you don’t need my shit. I just don’t want to return home yet.”

“I…I have to close the gate….” he sees her sigh “maybe we could go to Pop’s?”

“What?”

“Well… we could stay here, but it’s getting cold and I’m actually hungry after my shift, so I have to lock the gate, but we could go to Pop’s so you don’t have to return home just yet”

“O…okay”

He finally locks the gate and joins her in the car waiting outside, she catches the sight of herself in the rearview mirror and gasps.

“Oh my god, I look like shit!” she covers her face with her hands again “I can’t go anywhere looking like this”

“Betts… you are beautiful” that prompts her to pick at him through her fingers “even when you are crying, you are beautiful too” he gives her a soft smile and she smiles back, blushing. He blushes himself and counts it as a win.

-

They became closer after that night at Pops, having shared their stories. Even Kevin noticed the shift in their friendship.

“What’s going on with you and Betty?” he asks one afternoon when they are working on editing their article for the Blue and Gold while Betty is finishing her cheer practice.

“What? Nothing… why?” Jughead asks in return, confused, but blushing.

“I don’t know… it just seems like you’ve become so close…”

“Yeah… we’re friends” Jughead tries to play dumb. He noticed it, it feels like she would say yes if he asked her out, but he can’t find the courage to do it.

Kevin tilts his head and searches his face “Are you sure….?” and when Jughead opens his mouth to answer “You know there is this spring dance coming, Betty doesn’t have a date, actually she refused a couple of guys already. I think she is waiting for someone special to ask.” Kevin raises his brows on the last words.

Jughead gulps and nods, blushing deep red.

“Anyway, what are you writing all the time?” Kevin continues nonchalantly as if he hasn’t just implied that Betty waits for Jughead to ask to be her date for the dance.

“Ugh… it’s my novel, it just seems words are coming to me all the time recently”

And it’s true, after meeting Betty he feels constantly inspired and he decided some time ago that she is his muse, because he can’t explain it any other way.

“That’s pretty cool” Kevin says impressed.

-

Jughead has been gathering his shit for a whole week. He even had a pep talk from JB. He decided it has to today that he asks Betty to Spring formal, but he is struggling to choose the right moment, so, he just blurts it out while they are working on a newspaper after classes.

“Betts?”

“Huh?” she doesn’t tear her eyes from her laptop

“I… Ugh..” he clears his throat “ I really don’t know how to do it, because I’ve never done it before, so I’m just gonna ask, like right now. Do you a have a date for Spring formal?”

She finally lifts her head and looks at him, her eyes are big and round in shock.

“Are you… are you asking to be my date?”

His resolve immediately dissipates and self doubt takes its place again.

“Yeah…” he mumbles, lowering his eyes

“I…I’d like to”

“What?” he jerks his head and sees her smiling at him.

“I’d like to go to the dance with you”

He has a dopey smile on his face for the rest of the day.

-

His father is so exited for the dance that he takes Jughead shopping for a new suit. Betty is so beautiful in her pink dress, her hair down in soft waves, that he says it immediately when he sees her and she blushes adorably.

He doesn’t refuse dancing, because he knows it’ll make her happy and they kiss for the first time on the dance floor to a slow song like some cliche. But he is so happy, he doesn’t mind at all.

-

He has the honor of being called Betty Cooper’s boyfriend after that dance. They are happy, spending free time at school together, going on dates to Pop’s and in the movies, or just reading together. Her mother doesn’t like him very much, but his father adores Betty, so they spend more time at his place. One evening though there is a sudden knock at his trailer door, his father is at work, so he is home alone. He finds Betty on the other side of the door, she rushes to him, throwing her arms around his neck, burying her face in his chest and collapses in sobs. She had a fight with her mother again. It’s heart wrenching for him every time. Tonight’s fight is really bad, he doesn’t know what it’s been about, but when he sees blood seeping from her clenched fists he understands it must be something really serious.

When her sobs subside into rare sniffs he leads her to the bathroom and pries her palms open. She looks down shamefully and keeps silent while he washes her hands from blood. When he is drying her palms she finally speaks.

“I didn’t want you to see it”

That is not what he expected to hear.

“Betty-…”

“I’m a wreck, you looked and me and saw this perfect girl and I didn’t want you to see me broken” her eyes well with tears again.

“Betty…” he takes her palms into his “you are not a wreck, you are still perfect for me, and this little imperfections, they are perfect too”

He then kisses her palms, every little scar and she kisses his lips in response. When her palms are bandages she hugs him and mumbles in his chest “she told me to break up with you”.

He can’t believe that she stood to her mother for being with him, he still couldn’t believe she actually chose to be his girlfriend in the first place, and he decides that he hates Alice Cooper.

-

They tell they love each other soon after that and it doesn’t take long for them to explore the physical side of their relationship after that.

He doesn’t tire of reminding her about his love and her beauty and it seems she accepts herself more. But sometimes the thoughts Alice had been putting into her head through all her childhood and teenage years come crawling to the surface. For example, when they left for college and Betty ran free from her overbearing controlling mother and her strict diet, she gained a couple of extra pounds and started to freak out and beat herself. Jughead forced her to spend the entire weekend in bed, worshipping her body and telling her how her loved all her new curves. Of course, Betty Cooper being herself got a gym membership and got used to running in the mornings and got herself into even more perfect shape.

-

It’s their wedding day now, they are slow dancing in the middle of the floor. Betty is so beautiful, ethereal in her white dress. He looks at her, eyes full love and adoration. He can’t wait to spend the rest of his life with her and thinks that the words of John Legend’s song playing fit them perfectly.

All of him loves all of Betty Jones.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a song that's a cover of another artist  
Song: Daft Punk - Get lucky

“Jug, man, you have to come out of your cave and get some already!” Archie whined.

Jughead looked around his penthouse theatrically “Don’t see anything wrong with my cave”

“Are you kidding me? It’s Friday evening!” Archie rounded his eyes.

“Yeah, and I’m perfectly fine with spending it with books, pizza and video games, it could be even better if you joined me and I’d beat you ass”

“Come oooon, Jug, you are spending way too much time working already, you need to go out, see people, get laid!”

“I don’t need to get laid” Jughead muttered

“When even was last time you were with woman?”

“Why does it matter?”

“Because!” Archie threw his hands in the air “Look, Jug, just go out with me, we’ll have a couple of drinks and maybe get lucky with a nice girl. Just do it and I’ll be off your back for some time”

Jughead squeezed his eyes and surrendered “Fine”

***

Jughead Jones stood in his bathroom getting ready for the evening. He looked at himself in the mirror. It’s still him, the same stormy blue eyes, unruly black hair and lean toned body even at almost 30. But something was different, he didn’t feel himself. He lacked inspiration. His book series made him wealthy, but he was stuck now. He wanted to start writing something new, but there was not a single word in his head that he wanted to print. It was like he burnt himself out. He didn’t want this life. No, having money was good, especially after being poor for the most of his life, but he got tired of everything this money could offer him. He missed the feeling of overwhelming inspiration, the words pouring out of him on pages, drinking coffee not out of habit, but to keep energy up so he could write more.

He didn’t know what he had to do to return this feeling, but at least he could make his best friend happy and go out with him tonight. Maybe he could get lucky with some girl, that was really too long since he was with a woman.

***

After 3 hours in a bar Jughead abandons all hope for a hookup. He had to reject 3 rather beautiful ladies. They just didn’t do it for him. It seems he reached the state where he can’t be sexually attracted to a woman if everything she can talk about is celebrity gossip, Instagram or how many calories are in this drink.

He sees Archie approaching their table, leading an attractive Latina girl with his hand on her back and some blonde girl behind them.

“Here we are” he hears Archie saying to the girl coming up to their table. “Jug! Look who decided to join us, this is Veronica” he points to the Latina girl and she primly shakes his hand.

As Veronica slides to take a seat on the opposite side of the booth Archie introduces the second girl “and this is Betty”, he quips and sits next to Veronica.

Betty shakes Jughead’s hand and stands awkwardly by the table. She is pretty, blonde wavy hair, big doe eyes and bubblegum pink lipstick that matches her dress. His checking her out is interrupted by Archie clearing his throat. Jughead’s eyes shoot to his and Archie lifts his brows tilting his head in Betty’s direction. Jughead is confused for a second, then he realizes that he has to scoot for Betty to sit down next to him. As soon as he does so, Archie turns to Veronica and they properly forget about their friends. Jughead almost groans and prepares himself to listen about the amount of calories in martini.

“So... Archie told us you are a writer” he hears her soft voice.

“Uh... yeah”

“What do you write?”

“It’s crime fiction, I don’t know if you’ve heard about “Blood in the river” book series... um, I wrote them”

“Oh my god! I have all of them! They are so good, I get captured in the book so much I forget to eat sometimes. Did you really write them?” her big green eyes are sparkling in the lights of the club.

Jughead is surprised and amused, usually girls in clubs don’t really know what crime fiction is, lest read his books.

“Yeah.... yeah, I did. And what is that you do?”

“Um... I’m getting my PhD in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, last year now. And I work in the library part time.”

At that he is stunned. Like who is this this girl? She doesn’t look like a gear head at all. And she likes reading crime fiction. He sits there just looking at her when he registers she is speaking again.

“... I like to restore vintage cars when I have time, mom hates it, but that’s my and dad’s bonding time” she chuckles.

Ok, she is pretty, no, beautiful, actually, now that he’s had a chance to look at her properly he can see she’s really beautiful. And she is obviously smart.

He gulps down his dry throat “you are an enigma, Betty”.

A beautiful smile appears on her face and she looks at her lap blushing.

She is so adorable and alluring at the same time. He wants to take her home, spend a night with her, date her, marry her, have children with her.

“What are you doing here?” He asks, he really can’t imagine her in this world. Loud clubs full of drunk rotten people.

“Sometimes all of it becomes too much and V drags me to some club or bar for good fun”

“Well, I think I just got really lucky this night, it would be really upsetting not to get to meet you”

***

He lifts her and places on the kitchen isle without interrupting the kiss, that becomes more and more heated by every second.

They spent all night talking, at some point their bodies drifted clother on the bench seat, his hand found its place on her thigh and she bit her lip while her eyes darkened. Veronica and Archie were making out opposite them and when they decided to go to Veronica’s place, Jughead offered Betty to continue at his place, to have some vine and... talk.

At some point her subtle glances and constant biting of her lip became unbearable. He cupped her face and connected their lips. She eagerly responded and even deepened the kiss. He backed her to the isle and here are they now.

He moves to kiss her neck and slips a strap of her dress lowering his mouth to her shoulder and collar bone. Her hands are in his hair, holding his head to her and he is gripping her hips with such force, he thinks there will be bruises in the morning.

She crossed her ankles on his back and pulls him clother, so that his crotch collides with her heat where her dress lifted up her hips.

She starts grinding into him and unbuttoning his shirt. He groans feeling himself getting harder and returns to her lips.

“Jug....” she pants against his lips

“What do you want, baby?”

Betty moves her hands to pull his shirt off him and whispers “I want you to touch me”.

He surges forward to capture her lips in a bruising kiss, tips of his fingers teasing the skin on her inner thighs, thumbs rubbing the crease near her core, feeling the edge of her lace panties.

She nearly whimpers from frustration and overwhelming need and tugs his hair.

Jughead slips his finger into her panties and tugs her dress and bra lower to reveal her breast at the same time. A low moan escapes Betty’s mouth when his lips capture one of her nipples and his nimble fingers slide through her soaked folds. She is so wet, it was never like this before.

When his fingers find her bundle of nerves pulsing with need she looses all coherent thoughts, but moves her hands to his belt buckle anyways.

He moves to her other breast slipping one finger inside her, she arches her back, pressing her chest into his face and her head falls back with a loud moan.

The sounds she makes and the way she responds to him make him dizzy with want. He finally leaves her full breasts, nipples wet and puckered, as she slips her hand under his boxers and wraps him with her delicate fingers. Her hand so soft, but her grip firm and oh so good, he groans burying his face in her neck and tugs her underwear down her long legs while she pumps him slowly.

“I can’t wait anymore, I need to be inside you” he whines, hips bucking into her hand.

“Take me” she whispers and it’s all he needs.

He manages to fish a foil packet out of the back pocket of his jeans just before the slip down his legs.

He slips into her slowly and it’s the best feeling ever. He fucks her hard right there on the kitchen isle and then once more slowly but passionately in bed.

It’s almost sunrise when they lay in his bed, properly sated and he wants to keep her here, beside him, look at her in the morning, bring her coffee to bed and then maybe take a walk in the park and talk some more. He wants to tell her all of this, but he is so deliciously exhausted that his eyes close themselves and he falls asleep with a smile on his lips.

***

She can’t fall asleep, she feels his breath even and steady where her head lies on his chest. She carefully detangles herself and slips from bed. She turns to look at him, sleeping peacefully. He came to the club for a hookup and she shouldn’t delude herself into a fantasy, no matter how good they seemed to each other. She sighs, picks her clothes walking through his apartments and leaves.

***

Jughead wakes up with a smile, anticipating a sweet morning with a blonde goddess, but this smile quickly leaves his face when he realizes he is in bed alone. After inspecting the apartment he understands she left while he was sleeping and she didn’t bother to leave a phone number. He is frustrated and angry for a moment, he feels used. But he refuses to take it. It felt too good to just let it go. And he doesn’t mean just sex, she is incredible and anyone would be a fool to skip his chance with her.

It takes him about 20 phone calls to wake up Archie and he exhales relieved when he finds out that Betty’s friend is still with him. Then it takes him about 30 minutes of explaining and begging Veronica to organize him a meeting with Betty, as she refuses to give her phone number.

Now he has to wait until the agreed time. Meanwhile he finds himself reaching for his laptop and words pouring out of him. She pushed something in his head, he feels inspired just after talking to her.

When the time comes he goes to a little Italian restaurant Veronica set the meeting in. He is nervous as if he is a teenager again.

Betty is already sitting at the table, her eyes on the menu. He quietly walks to the table and slips into the sit opposite to her.

“Finally, V, I swear your cryptic messages...” she lifts her head and trails off, eyes rounding.

“Hi, Betts”

“Jug... what are you... why?”

“I was really upset when I found out you left this morning without me saying you just how amazing you are and that there are at least several dozens of books we need to discuss, a handful of conspiracy theories I need to share with you and some surfaces we have to defile”

When she doesn’t say anything back and just sits there stunned and gapes at him, he becomes nervous.

“That is unless you don’t want to, than I’ll just leave you to have a nice Italian dinner and go drown myself in self pity”

At that she seems to return to herself.

“Oh my god, Jug. Of course, of course I want to”

“Well, than, I guess yesterday I got really lucky” he smirks and she blushes prettily.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a song that's a classic favourite  
Song: survivor - eye of the tiger

Every morning Jughead wakes up with a clear picture before him. He knows what he has to do and he is determined to do it no matter what and as soon as possible.

Sometimes he struggles with motivation, thinks he’s not doing enough, but Betty is always here, by his side, she reminds him of all the hard work he’s already done, of everything they achieved. He is doing it for her too, so they could leave Riverdale without worry and live their dreams, that were put aside.

Betty has already left for her job in attorney McCoy’s office and he leaves the trailer to have breakfast at Pop’s. As the bell chimes above his head he greets several Riverdale residents. They no longer turn their heads in disgust, they nod and greet him in return.

He’s been doing hard job, clearing the name of the Serpents so people wouldn’t fear or despise leather jackets anymore. Since high school he changed rules in the gang, helped the members get jobs, education. Archie’s centre helped a lot.

Yesterday evening brought troubles, a new gang spreading drugs again. They tried to jump him when he was heading to meet Betty from work. He is reminded about it when he turns and bruises on his ribs ache. But he survived much worse when Ghoulies attacked him, then he chased drugs out of Riverdale and he can do it again. His will to change things is strong.

He looks on a scrawny teen typing furiously on a laptop, just like himself in high school, and his fingers itch to hit the keys, to fill pages with words, something he hasn’t done for a long time.

He just needs to be sure that the Serpents are strong in its unity and clear in their minds. He wants to make sure that he leaves them with a good leader. He will still be around, but not constantly.

He is so close to his goal. It’s difficult to leave behind something, that you contributed into so much of yourself, but there are things that are more important. There is Betty and the way he thinks she will look walking down the isle.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a song you'd sing a duet with someone on karaoke  
Song: Calum Scott - You are the reason

“Karaoke is fun, Betty!” they said, “You should live a little, come on let’s make fools of ourselves”.

Betty loves her friends and understands that Veronica, Cheryl and Toni were just trying to cheer her up. But she is not in the mood. She hasn’t been in the mood for the last 2 months since their intense fight and disastrous break up.

Betty and Jughead have been together for 3 years now. They always supported and encouraged each other and it seemed there were nothing that could break them apart. Apparently there was. They took a gap year after graduation to get over everything that happened during high school. Betty still had nightmares seeing her father die in front of her or her mother drowning in that cult bath. Jughead shivered every time he heard a word “Ghoulie” and developed claustrophobia. But they worked through their issues, visited a therapist and gained some money so they could leave for better life.

At least that was the plan. When the time came Jughead couldn’t leave the Serpents claiming that he had to make sure they were on steady feet before he left and he needed more time. But Betty just couldn’t stay in Riverdale anymore. So, after a disastrous fight she packed and left for New York.

She got in NYU just like she dreamed, explored the city and took some shifts in the library. But she wasn’t happy, because that wasn’t just her dream, that was Jughead’s dream too and she was living it alone. As much as she was missing him, she wasn’t to return to Riverdale. It was his decision to stay with the Serpents and he chose them over her for the second time.

Veronica, Cheryl and Toni have been trying to cheer Betty up for the last two months. Betty even had to practically hold Toni from going to Riverdale and beating some sense into Jughead. They mostly spent their girl nights at Betty’s apartment, but tonight the girls were especially insistent on going out, which turned out to be karaoke.

Betty was pulled out from her thoughts when she heard her name.

“Betty!... oh, finally, it’s your turn!” Veronica exclaimed pulling her by her hand.

“What? My turn for what?” Betty furrowed her brows.

“Singing of course! Come on, we have already chosen your song!”

“No, V...-“ Betty tried to protest, but was cut by Veronica’s stern voice.

“I will not have this shit! You will drag your gorgeous ass up this stage and sing in your fenomenal voice!”

Betty saw there were no room for argument, she sighed and went to the stage.

“You think that will work?” Toni’s concerned voice appeared behind Veronica.

“He has to make it work, we cannot look at these two idiots in love anymore”

Meanwhile Betty got up the stage and received the microphone. She was praying she knew the song and wasn’t about to embarrass herself.

She recognized the music when it started playing, she liked this song, but when the lyrics appeared on the screen Betty felt her eyes brimming with tears. She could really feel this song, but she wanted to be strong, so she managed to open her mouth in time and sing along the lines.

_There goes my heart beating_

'_Cause you are the reason_

_I'm losing my sleep_

_Please come back now_

By the end of fourth line her sight went blurry with tears, she choked on her words and was ready to leave the stage when she heard deep male voice catch to the song instead of her.

_There goes my mind racing_

_And you are the reason_

_That I'm still breathing_

_I'm hopeless now_

Betty turned her head blinking, tears streaming down her cheeks, she saw Jughead walking from the back of the stage singing along the lines.

It was time for the chorus when he reached her, but she just stood frozen and couldn’t believe he was there with her.

_I'd climb every mountain_

_And swim every ocean_

_Just to be with you_

_And fix what I've broken_

_Oh, 'cause I need you to see_

_That you are the reason_

He took her hand and looked right into her eyes while singing. She felt his hands shaking and saw his own eyes were full of tears. She saw guilt and regret in his marvelous blues and felt he meant every word he was singing.

She raised the microphone to her lips

_There goes my hand shaking_

_And you are the reason_

_My heart keeps bleeding_

_I need you now_

Of course she was angry with him for all the time she spent hurting, but she loved him more than anything and needed him to live and not to survive the day, if he was willing to do everything they planned together, she was willing to forgive him.

_If I could turn back the clock_

_I'd make sure the light defeated the dark_

_I'd spend every hour, of every day_

_Keeping you safe_

She couldn’t believe how the song fitted their life. She could see the promise in his eyes and she wanted to believe him, that he meant every word he repeated after the lines in the screen.

They sung the next chorus together, holding hands and looking in each other’s eyes.

When the song ended the audience erupted in applause, he wrapped her in his arms and buried his face in her hair.

“Baby, it’s all true, you are the reason I’m still living, please forgive me” Jughead whispered in her ear.

She understood they had a lot to talk about, to discuss, but she could only nod now.

It turned out Sweet Pea and Fangs contacted Toni because they couldn’t look at their friend and leader being miserable anymore. He wasn’t living without Betty, he was existing. And being in Riverdale only made it worse. Together they convinced Jughead that Serpents could take care of themselves with his guidance from afar and monthly visits and created a plan of winning Betty back.

Betty and Jughead went to her place soon after they descended the stage and spent all night apologizing, discussing details of their fight and break up and figuring out their next step. They decided Jughead would move in with Betty and he already had a bartending job waiting in the bar Toni took some shifts. He would continue writing and try for college next year.

They were exhausted from long and difficult conversation, but couldn’t help themselves as they stumbled to now their bed in the early hours of the morning, their clothes littered the floor and their naked bodies meeting for the first time in two months that seemed like forever.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a song from the year you were born  
Song: haddaway - baby don’t hurt me
> 
> This is “the talk” from songfic number 17 with a dash of light smut in the end.

They didn’t stay long after signing, just said goodbyes to their friends and went to Betty’s apartment. They had a lot to talk about and they couldn’t do it in the loud karaoke bar. Jughead hadn’t released Betty’s hand since he took it on stage. They spent the taxi ride in silence. It felt good to be together again, but the weight of harsh words that preceded their break up and time apart spent hurting still hanged over them.

At Betty’s apartment they sat on the couch, not turning the TV on, silent. Jughead felt he had to be first to start talking.

“I’m sorry... I can’t even find the words to express how sorry I am. I’m a total idiot, Betty. I can’t live without you and I don’t know what I was thinking.” he put his head in his hands.

“You thought I wouldn’t do it... wouldn’t leave without you. But Juggie, as much as I love you, I couldn’t bear it anymore, Riverdale was eating me, it was difficult here without you, torturous even, but Riverdale was even worse”

Jughead groaned dragging his hands over his face “I should have been supporting you and I was so swallowed by the Serpents, that I haven’t noticed that I hurt you” he turned his head to look at her.

She bit her lower lip, trying to keep tears at bay, but failed. He reached to wipe a stray tear gently with his thumb.

“Don’t cry, baby. I don’t want you to cry anymore”

“I was so scared here alone, Juggie. I had to come home to an empty apartment, which didn’t felt like home for a long time. I was busy during classes or at work, but the second I stepped into this apartment it all came back and just cried myself to sleep” she sniffled. She knew she was guilt tripping him, but she just needed to let everything out.

His expression was full of sorrow and regret, he could’ve help but pulled her into himself and wrapped her into his arms. She was sobbing into his shirt now. From the warm feeling of being in his arms again, from relief, from not knowing what they will do next.

She heard him sniffling too “Please, baby, please, forgive me. I’ll stay if you let me, I can’t live without you, I can’t even breathe without you. I was like zombie, I didn’t write, I didn’t even eat. I’ll do anything, Betty, just, please, forgive me. I’m such a fucking idiot.”

“I love you” he heard her tiny voice

“I love you too, Betty, more than anything in this world, and I promise you I won’t do such dumb things again. I need you.”

“When you say you will stay, so mean for tonight or...?”

“No, no! I mean forever, let me stay with you, by your side forever, wherever you want us to be I want to be with you. In New York, Riverdale, hell if you want to go to the North Pole I’ll go with you”

“It would be rather cold there” he could hear her smile “but I think we could stay here, in New York, for now”

Jughead exhaled with relief “I will make anything to make you happy now that I have the second chance”

“The third” Betty corrected

Jughead blinked, but then understood “yeah, the third, and as I said before, I’ll probably be apologizing for it for the rest of my life”

They spent most of the night cuddled on the couch talking through the possibilities and arrangements of their new shared life. When Betty started rubbing her eyes sleepily Jughead cleared his throat “you should go to sleep, Betts. I’ll go crash at Toni’s”

“No!” She bolted upright “I only got you back, I won’t let you leave immediately”

Jughead smiled softly “then lead the way”.

She took him by hand and walked them to her bedroom. They shed their clothes in silence.

Jughead stood there only in his boxers, looking at Betty in her tank and panties, and couldn’t believe he could willingly refuse spending every minute of his life by her side. Even exhausted and with slightly puffy eyes from crying she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

He walked to her and cupped the side of her face, rubbing her cheek with his thumb. Betty raised on her tiptoes and connected their lips in a soft kiss. It felt so good, so soft, warm and familiar. Like returning home. She only intended on a soft goodnight kiss, but the time spent in separation took a toll on them and soon their kiss became more heated. Her fingers sank in his curls and he pulled her clother gripping her waist. Their bodies pressing closer, longing for each other. They stumbled into bed together, shedding the last of their clothes on the floor.

Jughead claimed every inch of her skin with kisses. He wanted it to be good for her, he teased her breasts with his tongue, her soft moans making him impossibly hard. He missed her so much.

“I love you” he panted into her mouth.

“Love you too...” she breathed heavily “please, don’t hurt me anymore”

“Never, I love you so much”

He now settled between her legs, his length brushing her folds.

“Please, Juggie, I need you now...- a-ah!...” she cried as he finally entered her.

It took them both little time to see stars after a break in their relationship, but they felt insanely good anyways.

After, they laid together in their afterglow bliss, Betty curled into Jughead’s side. She was slowly drifting off to sleep, as Jughead combed his nimble fingers through her hair.

“I want no other woman, Betty, you are it for me. We are together and I need you forever, my love”


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a song that makes you think about life  
Song: K.I.Z. - Hurra die Welt geht unter

Betty wakes up from the sunlight streaming through curtains. She stretches and turns to her side to admire a man lying beside her.

It’s one of those peaceful mornings she can’t help but think how lucky she is while half of the world thinks of a disaster.

They were in the end of their freshman year when Mother Earth decided to clear itself. Riverdale was boiling with raging conflicts between Serpents and Ghoulies, Northsiders against Southsiders, Hiram Lodge fueling the fire with his prison project, everything was about to snap when _The Break_ happened. It was the first one, two others following in a span of 4 months.

Earth was splitting, leaving gaping breaks in its surface, some larger than the other. Betty was with her friends at Pop’s during the first break, then she found out that her house stayed safe, her mother alive and her father nowhere to be found.

The second break came two months later and Riverdale was split from the state by a large break. Earthquakes damaged a lot of houses and some were completely ruined. All communications were broken. The scientists then predicted one more break, the last one, and the government formed some types of safe heaven out of remaining big cities, that held all the usual conveniences.

When Alice said that she was going to take Polly from the Farm, hoping that it was still where it should be and then move the family to a safe city, Betty refused to go. It was her chance to free herself of the pressure of being a member of the perfect Cooper family.

Jughead staying in Riverdale was no question, as his father took over the duty of restoring the town along with Fred Andrews. They, together with Sheriff Tom Keller, held hope for the remaining inhabitants of Riverdale. Then Archie refused to go when Veronica pleaded him to go with her family. He had had enough of trials from her father and as much as he loved Veronica, that wasn’t enough to leave Fred, more so when Mary returned from Chicago to stay with her son and husband she realized she still loved.

It has been three years now, Riverdale resembled more of a village than a town, but it was worth it.

The remaining people, lead by three “dads of Riverdale”, formed a strong community that thrived in hard labor and trust. It was like medieval again, with Riverdale being cut off the big city and not getting any supplies produced there. People started hunting, fishing and gardening. Betty and Jughead liked the absence of internet and television. Books became popular again and they helped teaching children.

Collectively people of Riverdale restored a group of houses that were not damaged or just slightly damaged by_ The Break_, so they all could live in close proximity. The remaining houses and other establishments were raided for furniture, clothes and various supplies. Books were collected in the library, it’s building now containing a school too. Medications and personal hygiene goods, along with tinned food were sorted and contained in a common warehouse.

There were no Northside and Southside anymore. All people worked together and helped each other, serving their special role in society. Of course it wasn’t Utopia, there were conflicts, but they were dealt with.

The fear of apocalypse provoked people to act on their true feelings, not being afraid of doing serious decisions when there could be no more chances for it.

And now Betty is free from pressure of expectations and happy with being herself.

Jughead stirs beside her and opens his eyes.

“Mmmm” he hums tugging her closer, “morning”.

“Good morning”, Betty smiles and pecks his lips.

“What made you so happy this morning?” Jughead asks, voice still groggy from sleep.

“Just life” she shrugs.

Jughead looks at love of his life, blonde hair glowing like a halo in morning sunlight. He likes seeing her happy, maybe she still has some issues, but she is free from the weight of being a Cooper. Maybe he could rid her of the last thing connecting her with them.

“Marry me, Betts?”

“What?!” her eyes go big and round.

Jughead sits in their bed and takes her hands “I don’t have a ring and I know marriage doesn’t mean what it used to now. You are my life partner and can’t see anyone other than you with myself. I just want us to be a real family. I want you to be a Jones.”

“Yes” she breathes.

“Yes?” he has to make sure.

“Oh my god, Jug, yes!” she exclaims and properly bursts into tears.

Weddings are not common after _the Break_, but they want to have a ceremony.

Cheryl stayed at Riverdale with her girlfriend Toni after her family house went down during the second break with everyone who lived there. She mourned nana Rose and her only family since then has been Betty, so they found comfort in each other and became best friends eventually.

She is very exited about the wedding. Betty, together with Cheryl and Toni create a dress from three wedding gowns they managed to find in the warehouse. It is a simple flowy dress with lace details, but Betty doesn’t need more. She wears baby breath in her hair and a happy smile on her face on the day of their wedding. They recite their vows on the bank of Sweetwater river in the shade of trees. Fred officiates the ceremony and the whole town comes to celebrate their love.

When two months later Jughead receives a book about being a parent from Betty, he can’t help but be happy for their found peace in the disaster. It may have ruined people’s lives, but it also cleared a lot of sins that thrived in modern society and he is happy that his child will grow without them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One can definitely say that it was influenced by @tory-b ‘s When the lights go out
> 
> I wasn’t trying to copy some moments, just was inspired by an amazing work


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A fic based on a song that has many meanings to you  
Song: Alec Benjamin- If we have each other

It finally happened, the family curse overtook her. Well, she could be glad that it didn’t happen in high school like with Alice and Polly, but it wasn’t the time to get pregnant anyway. Betty just couldn’t afford being pregnant. She just regained mental stability, some resemblance of financial stability and what would she tell Jughead?

Betty sighed and went out of tiny staff bathroom at the back of the diner she worked.

Life hadn’t been easy on them past years. Alice sold the house, gave all their money to the farm and took off with the cult in search of their new home. Betty was left homeless and parentless. She alternated living between Jones and Lodge houses, studied hard and worked at Pop’s every spare minute she had. Thanks to therapy sessions with Mrs. Burble Betty began feeling a bit more optimistic, but it all vanished when letters with college acceptances began coming in. Betty hadn’t been accepted even to the community college. She tried keeping calm, but it burst into a fight with Jughead and a mental breakdown. As it turned out, nobody wanted to associate with the daughter of a serial killer.

With collective work of therapist and friends Betty successfully finished high school. She followed Jughead, who was accepted to NYU with a scholarship, to the city. They rented a small apartment and saved every cent. Jughead studied hard, worked some shifts in the university library and tried to finish his novel. Betty waitressed in a diner across city, taking some shifts washing dishes for extra cash. FP couldn’t help them much, even working as sheriff now he still had Jellybean to take care of and Jughead insisted he saved some money for her college. She deserved it. Not speaking about Betty refusing to accept anything.

Jughead just started his second year at college and it seemed he managed to convince Betty to try some online courses.

The baby wasn’t included in their plans.

Betty exited the bathroom, eyes focused on two lines on the stick she was holding.

“Oh honey...” she heard her manager, Ronda, sigh.

Betty raised her eyes to look at Ronda. She was a nice woman in her forties, who had been looking out for Betty since she had started in the diner and sometimes slipped Betty burgers to take home for Jughead. Now Ronda’s face was full of sympathy.

Betty’s eyes welling with tears, lips quivering, she asked “How can I tell him?”.

And then she was engulfed in the warm embrace the next moment. Ronda was rubbing her back, trying to calm her down, “Don’t be afraid, he loves you, Betty.”

“But... but it changes everything... everything!”

“You’ve been through so much together already. Do you really think a baby will break you? It’ll only make you stronger! You have each other, and your baby will have you both.”

Ronda was the only person in the city Betty told about their past, she just felt like she had to explain her anxiety attacks and then it poured out like a waterfall. But Ronda never judged or pitied her, she was something of a mother figure for Betty now.

“Now, stop crying, go home and tell him.” Ronda said lifting her chin and wiping tears.

“But my shift isn’t over yet.”

“Oh, forget about it, it’s slow evening tonight, we’ll handle it just fine. And you need to go home and calm down.”

“Okay” Betty sniffled, she knew there was no sense arguing with Ronda.

* * *

Fifty years later Betty and Jughead will be sitting on the porch swing at their house, watching their grandchildren play in the garden and reminiscing all the happy moments of their life.

How Betty was afraid of telling Jughead that she was pregnant with Rosie at nineteen.

How he cried happy tears when he held her for the first time in the hospital.

How seven years later they waited for the result of a pregnancy test together because they were trying purposefully that time and how it turned positive and Rosie got to name her brother. Well, Eric really resembled the prince from Little Mermaid.

They watched their children grow, finish school, go to college and create their own families.

As Ronda said they were strong together, and were never apart since then.

**Author's Note:**

> Come find me on tumblr as aam-loves


End file.
